Course: Description
Addresses the basics of 3D animation rigging modeling and texturing; and how to utilize them in a production process. Directs in the basic techniques and theories used in a 3D animation pipeline.
Course: Objectives
Animate
Use traditional animation techniques to create believable motion. Learn about pose-to-pose (extremes and breakdowns), timing and spacing, and anticipation action and reaction.
Model
Plan and create correct geometrical edge flow, points of articulation, construct low-resolution “real-time ”. Study how to keep complex models simple.
Surfacing
Create readable UV maps for each model. Learn to optimize space on a UV grid. Understand UV islands and placement. Create low-resolution “real-time” textures. Learn the use of materials and channels. Understand use of color and various painting techniques.
Rig
Plan and create deformations for low-resolution and high-resolution models. Learn the use of joints, constraints, and controls.
Lighting and Rendering
Learn how to light characters and sets, the basics of compositing, camera, and edit.
Course: Materials
1. Sketchbook — 9 x 12 100 pages. 50 lb. +
2. Notepad
3. Pencils
4. External drive
5. CD-R or DVD-R Discs for back up
6. Dropbox.com account for assignments
7. Blogger account
Course: Resources
Title : The Animator's Survival Kit
Author : Richard Williams
Publisher : Faber & Faber
ISBN-13: 978-0571202287
Type : Required resource
Title : 2210 Essentials DVD available at the Bookstore
Type : Required resource
Policies: Back-up
Be sure to always back-up your files on a regular basis. Unfinished or lost projects due to data loss, or mismanagement will not be accepted.
Policies: Extra Credit
There is no extra credit offered in this course.
Policies: Feedback
The work you do will be assets prior to grading using feedback.
1. Self evaluation
2. Peer evaluation
3. Instructor evaluation
Once feedback has been given students my revise their work prior to grading. After grading no further feedback will be given.
Policies: Attendance
3 unexcused absences will result in a failing grade.
Policies: Assessment
Students will meet with instructor to discuss work and grades one on one at midterm, and 2 week prior to final. This is the only time grades will be discussed, unless requested by the student.
Policies: Grading criteria
Objective : Measurable advancement, without bias or opinion: 50% of grade
1. Technical aspects and concepts
2. Understanding of the toolset or software
Subjective : Based on the industry and instructor knowledge and opinions: 50% of grade
3. Design aspects and Concepts
4. Project Aesthetics, and overall polish
Projects are to be finished on time; late projects will be reduced 10% for each day late.
Policies: Assignments*
Students will be given two assignments for the class, a midterm and final. Both will be graded with the student demonstrating:
Design: 100 points
Modeling: 100 points
Texturing: 100 points
UV mapping: 100 points
Rigging: 100 points
Animating: 100 points
Level Design:100 points
Scripting: 100 points
Development: 100 points
Technical and Artistic Merit: 100 points
All work must be submitted on time. Each project will be graded using the stated grading criteria.
Policies: Final Assignment*
The Final Assignment will be an 8-week project. It must demonstrate all the course objectives, and be subjectively strong after feedback. The final project will be integrated animation in the Unity3D game Engine.
Policies: Grade Scale
A = 95-100 Exceptional
A- = 90-94
B+ = 86-89
B = 83-85 Meets Expectations
B- = 80-82
C+ = 76-79
C = 73-75 Average
C- = 70-72
D+ = 66-69
D = 63-65 Bellow Average
D- = 60-62
E = 59 Needs Improvement
Section 001
Course covers an Introduction to Maya and the Unity Game Engine. With fundamental modeling tools, modifying interface, and learning key commands.
Assignment: Demonstration of knowledge of the interface, keys, and tools 25 pts.
Section 002
Development of hard Surface game prop models for a third person shooter. Models can consist of, but limited to, weapons, powers-ups, game props, levels and other structures. Use of Extrude, insert edge loops, interactive split tool, and delete edge vertex tool will be demonstrated.
Assignment: Three Props
In Unity
Weapon — 100 points
Power-up — 50 points
Level — 225 points
Section 003
Creation of UV maps for the three hard surface models, UV mapping tools, and concepts will be discussed, as well as the introduction to materials, and placement holder grid textures. It will cover the use of UV space, distortion, and emphasis, and clean up. Tools such as move and sew, sew, cut UVs, layout UVs, and pinning and unwrapping UVs for props.
Assignment:
In Unity
Weapon — 50 points
Power-up — 25 points
Level — 125 points
Section 004
This section covers the breakdown and design of “ragdoll” character such as a stuffed, bear, hippo, or pig for game deployment. Animation emphasis must design a biped character, and start the modeling process.
Character Design, and blocking in Maya 50 points
Section 005
Modeling a character with correct articulation and edge flow. DGM students will create a “ragdoll” such as a stuffed bear, hippo, or pig. Animation emphasis will develop a generic mesh biped, and develop a strongly designed character based on said biped.
Assignment Character Model 100 points
Section 006
This section is the finishing of a character for game development. Mirror tools, edge and vertex merging will be demonstrated, and the manipulating normal. Also UV the mapping of characters, with the added tools for example, pinning and unwrapping.
Assignment:
In Unity
Finished Character Model: 150 points
Section 007
This section covers the creation of materials, and textures of game props, also an Instruction to a Maya Photoshop texture pipeline. Animation emphasis students will also Use ZBrush or Mudbox to create normal maps.
Assignments:
In Unity, with new material, and defused textures 200 points
Normal maps for animation emphasis
Weapon 50 points
Power-up — 25 points
Level — 125 points
Section 008
This section covers the creation of materials and textures in Photoshop. Animation emphasis must also create normal maps in Zbrush or MudBox.
Assignment:
In Unity
Character Model, with new material, and defused textures 200 points
Normal maps for animation emphasis
Section 009
This section will develop character rigs, it will cover, joint orientation, joint hierarchy, rotation orders, gimbal and gimbal lock, skinning, and weighting with the component editor.
Assignment:
In Unity
Development of a joint system with correct orientation, rotation orders, and vertices limited to 2 to 3 joints influences — 100 points
Section 010
This area will cover the further modification of vertex weight data in the component editor, along with the manipulation of weights with the paint weights tool on the vertex level.
Assignment:
Fully weighted skin system — 100 points
Section 011
This section is the creation of FK animation controls for the character rig with Mel or python scripts, and the further design, and modification of controls.
Assignment
FK Controls — 50 points
Section 012
Animation tests and rig clean up, including range of motion tests, joint and attribute hiding, and hierarchal grouping, and rig referencing.
Assignment:
In Unity
Referenced character rigged with animation range of motion test.
Section 013
This section covers animation. It will cover the principles of timing and spacing, and pose-to-pose animation, with contacts and passes. Animations will consist of a run, jump, shoot, and 2 idles. Introduction to the graph editor to created stepped animation.
Assignment:
In Unity
A single referenced stepped animation Maya file containing correct timing and spacing, contacts, and passes (or extremes) of a run, jump, shoot, and 2 idles — 50 points
Section 014
This section will cover animation breakdown and in-betweens, manipulation of animation keys in the graph editor.
Assignment:
Further development of an animated run, jump, shoot, and idles to include breakdowns, in-betweens, and a variation of easing in a single referenced Maya file
Section 015
Section fifteen will cover the manipulation of scripts in Unity to further integrate a character control, power-ups, GUI function, and level interaction.
Section 016
Final Assignment:
The final integration of Maya and Unity with the interaction of Character Animation, power-ups, level interaction, and GUI functions — 500 points
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